Chapter 1 – Part three – Rollercoaster ride
Gabriel was warm, comfortable and wonderfully, achingly sore in all the right places. He realized this as he slowly woke to the sound of a shower running somewhere. He yawned and stretched – oh yes, sore there as well – and snuggled down under the comforter, turning over onto his stomach and burying his nose into the pillow that smelled of the gorgeous man he had spent the night with.
Gabriel smiled at the memories that washed over him even in his sleepy state. Man, that had been one wonderful night. He didn't regret one moment of it, even though he briefly wondered if it would look as glorious in daylight. But then again, he had met Matt at the gym, where no one was to their advantage – unless you looked like a Greek god in sweatpants and t-shirt, which Matt just happened to do, not to mention butt naked with water running down his skin and making it gleam in all the right ways – man, he was getting hard just thinking about it. He hummed and shifted a little against the mattress.
The shower was turned off and a minute later he heard the bathroom door open and close, and soft footsteps nearing as Matt padded back to the bed. Gabriel smiled when the mattress dipped, the comforter lifting a little to let Matt slip in beside him, and then he was being kissed up the nape of his neck.
"Hummm," he said appreciatively, shivering a little at the warm breath that caressed his skin when Matt chuckled. Just like last night that chuckle still made him feel all tingly.
"You awake?" Matt asked, nudging his hair out of the way and nuzzling against his skin.
"I am now," he answered and turned around to look up at his Greek god. Okay, so maybe Norse god would be a better description since Matt was blond, but god none the less. And brown eyed, oh, how he loved brown eyes.
"Hungry?"
"Uh-huh."
"Do you like omelet and toast?"
"Yes."
"Coffee or tea?"
Gabriel laughed. "I think I need coffee to get functional again after last night." That got him a frown of concern.
"You sore?" Matt wondered.
"Mmm, yeah. But in all the good ways," he assured. He was about to lean up and kiss him when he remembered about morning breath. Matt didn't seem to mind though, he took it from there and positively devoured Gabriel. His hair was still a bit damp where Gabriel slid his fingers into it and his mouth taste of minty toothpaste. Gabriel hummed happily into Matt's mouth and got in the mood.
"You can have a shower if you want," Matt told him when they finally came up for air. "There's soap and shampoo in the shower, and a spare toothbrush on the sink." He wrinkled his nose a bit, one eye scrunching up, and Gabriel laughed.
"I get the idea."
Matt gave him a quick kiss before he got out of the bed. He was still naked, his butt a sight to behold, firm, rounded, just perfect. Gabriel stared shamelessly.
"There are fresh towels on the shelf above the washer and the hamper is next to it," Matt said as he dressed in washed-out jeans and a white t-shirt. "Just come into the kitchen when you're done and I'll have breakfast ready." He smiled at Gabriel before he went to see to the task.
Gabriel suddenly felt the need to pinch himself to see if this was a dream or not. It seemed not. Matt was a godsend, caring, polite, generous, and with a great butt. And other things. Gabriel grinned as he got out of bed, grabbed his clothes from where they had been folded over the back of a chair, and padded over to the door he guessed led to the bathroom.
It was still a bit misty and still smelled of Matt's soap. He took a deep breath and winked at himself in the mirror. Good catch, Gabe. He stepped into the large bathtub and took his shower, delighting in using Matt's shampoo because the scent brought back more memories of last night. The guy could dance when he put his mind to it. And kiss. And other things. He grinned again and washed the suds out of his hair.
He dried himself and stood wrapped in the towel as he brushed his teeth, chuckling at how Matt hadn't hesitated to kiss him even though it must have tasted awful. He made sure to brush with extra care.
Then he saw something in the mirror, wiped away some moisture from the glass to see better, and nearly laughed out loud. Matt had marked him. The hickey was dark purple by now and placed where he'd need a shirt or tall-necked sweater to cover it. He wondered if that had been deliberate, or a heat of the moment kind of thing. He opted for the first.
He dressed quickly after that, suddenly needing to see the man, and he nearly tripped himself when he tried to put both legs through the jeans at the same time. He shook his head at his own silly behavior and told himself to calm down.
Opening the hamper to throw the towel in he didn't react at first at what he saw, but then his brain kicked in, a few warning bells going off, and he looked again. Blue satin and lace? What the fuck? Gabriel gingerly picked up the pair of panties, holding them up where he could get a good look at them. He stared in disbelief. What the fuck?!
He put them back where he'd found them and had to sit down on the toilet for a moment. Matt couldn't be like that, could he? He seemed too – he sought the proper word, secure in his own skin to have the need to dress up like that. Or maybe that was why? Gabriel rubbed a hand down his face. Shit.
He opened the hamper to look again and had the bright idea to check the size. A six. There was no way Matt could fit into that, unless he liked it pinching in all the wrong places, but somehow Gabriel didn't believe that.
So, not Matt's panties. Who's then? The only explanation was a girl. A girlfriend. Shit. Shit, fuck, crap! He should have known this was too good to be true.
Suddenly all the happiness and joy had left him, and it was a much more subdued Gabriel that went out into the kitchen. Matt was stirring something in a pan at the stove, humming along to a song on the radio, one of the old rock classics it seemed, his hips swaying a little to the beat and the hoarse voice of the singer.
"Hey," Gabriel said, and ambled over.
"Hey," Matt said and gave him one of those dazzling smiles that had made him weak in the knees last night.
Fuck, shit, crap. "You making omelets?" he asked to try and dispel his mood that had become very depressed.
"Yes, you said you liked omelets so I thought..." then he looked up at Gabriel and frowned. "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah. Sure, just fine. I just need some coffee in the morning before I wake up completely," he lied. God, he lied to Matt and it made him feel even worse. But then, if Matt had a girlfriend he had lied to Gabriel first.
Matt looked at him for a long moment, the eggs sizzling in the pan. "The coffeemaker and cups are over there, help yourself. This will be another minute or two." He nodded his head at the counter across from the stove.
Gabriel poured a cup and wondered if he should ask for some milk, but he suddenly didn't have the courage. He took his coffee with him as he strolled around the apartment. It was an open plan with the kitchen and living room more like one big room, or rather huge room, by Gabriel's standard. Matt had the place sparsely decorated but tasteful. In the living room he had a cream sofa and a brown leather love seat next to an oval oak wood coffee table. A few paintings were scattered around the walls, broken off by enlarged black and white photos in black, sleek frames. The TV was huge – also by Gabriel's standard – and he saw speakers for a surround system set up in the corners.
What caught his attention next was a fish tank. There were a few fishes swimming around in it, but none that he could really name. The large ones were black and white with pointy fins, another was sucking itself up along the glass of the tank, and a bunch of the small ones looked like they were painted with red and blue neon.
Over in the corner next to the fish tank was a large desk, its top tilted up at an angle like a drawing table would be, and Gabriel realized this must be where Matt did some of his work. He glanced towards the kitchen, but Matt was busy scrubbing the pan in the sink. He took that as permission to look, he'd not been told not to after all.
There were sketches of all kinds of things scattered over the desk, buildings, interiors, furniture, even landscapes and one or another human. It seemed Matt did a little of everything when he got the chance, and he was good at it too, if Gabriel was any judge.
"I see you found my doodles."
Gabriel nearly jumped out of his pants he was so startled, not to mention spilling his coffee all over himself. He turned around, feeling a bit sheepish, and Matt held out the towel he had dried his hands on.
"Oops. Sorry about that. I have a shirt if you want to borrow it," he offered apologetically.
"Nah, that's okay," Gabriel said with a stab through his chest. If this would end now, to wear Matt's clothes would just be too cruel. He cleaned up his hand and arm, and patted down the stains on his top. It had been a nice top, but unless the stains came out he'd have to buy a new one.
Matt leaned in, nearly startling Gabriel again, but he reached past him and shifted over some sheets on the desk. "I want to show you this," he murmured.
Gabriel stared down at the sketch he had uncovered among the others, his eyes growing wider and his jaw dropping as he realized what he was he looking at. It was a pencil sketch of himself, from sometime last night or earlier this morning. He lay sprawled on his back in the bed, an arm flung above his head and a small smile on his lips. One of his legs stuck out from under the covers and the other was made visible by skillfully added shading. The comforter had slipped down a bit and revealed part of his chest, one nipple peeking above the edge. Matt had even put the hickey on the portrait of his sleeping self.
"I hope it's okay that I keep it," Matt said close to his ear. "Just so I have something to remind me of how you look when you're not here and my mind is playing tricks on me, telling me this was all a dream."
Gabriel gasped and had to put the cup down before he ruined more than just his top.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Matt wondered again in concern.
Gabriel spun around and didn't know if he wanted to punch him or kiss him within an inch of his life. "I know your secret," he said instead.
Matt looked confused. "My secret?"
Gabriel rubbed a hand over his face in frustration. "Don't make this harder than it already is, Matt. Please."
"I don't know what you're talking about, Gabriel. I'm afraid you have to explain."
He glared up at him, almost hating him for still playing the innocent. "I saw the panties, Matt. I figured out you have a girlfriend. You didn't have to tell me all that mushy stuff last night just to get me into bed with you. I probably would have fucked you even if you'd had a harem of girls following you around." Fuck, his eyes were stinging.
Matt blinked. "Girl..? Panties? What are you talking about?"
"The panties in the hamper," Gabriel said with a trembling breath. "Blue, satin, lace. Ring a bell?"
"In the hamper?" he sounded incredulous that something like that had found its way into his dirty laundry. Then it seemed a light went on, his eyes widening. "Ooh."
"Exactly." Gabriel pushed away from the desk where he'd been leaning, meaning to grab his things and go.
"No, wait." Matt grabbed his arm but let go again when Gabriel yanked at it. "Gabriel, please. Those must be Anne's."
Anne's. A girl. A girlfriend. Gabriel swallowed down the lump that threatened to choke him. "Thank you for last night," he said and meant it. "I'll just get my stuff and..."
"Stop! Will you listen to me?" Matt grabbed hold of him again and didn't let go this time. "Those are Anne's panties, she's my sister. She sleeps here sometimes when she's in the city on business because it's too tiresome commuting back home just for a day or two." Matt grabbed hold of his other arm and turned him around to face him, and Gabriel stubbornly stared at his chest instead.
"My big sister, Gabriel. I let her have the bed and I sleep on the couch. She forgot those panties when she was here last time and I figured I'd wash them rather than have them just lying around until she came by again."
Gabriel took the chance and glanced up. Matt looked worried and sincere enough, anxious that Gabriel would believe him. It was too complicated a story to be a lie, but... Matt seemed to understand what he was thinking.
"Look," he said and dragged Gabriel with him over to the counter where the fish tank stood. He pointed at a row of photos Gabriel hadn't noticed before, standing between a collection of books and a miniature statue of Michelangelo's David. "My mom and dad, last year when they went to Italy." Matt pointed at a color photo of an older couple, standing in front of the Coliseum. "And here is my sister with her husband and daughter, Anne, Marcus and Linn. They're at Niagara Falls. And this is me and Anne." He picked up a third frame and held it out to him.
Gabriel slowly took it. The woman was perhaps a few years older than Matt, her long hair the same blond color as Matt's and her eyes brown and twinkling much in the same way as Matt's did whenever he smiled. She was hugging him from behind while he tried to avoid spilling his drink; it looked like they were at a barbeque.
"Last summer, when I went back home to mom and dad's, the whole family was there and mom just had to take a picture of us together." Matt was studying his face for a reaction. "If you still don't believe me then there's nothing I can do," he said quietly when Gabriel didn't say anything.
Gabriel gingerly put it back down. He stared at it for a moment longer, wanting to believe it. And why would Matt come up with such an elaborate lie? If he really had a girlfriend, or something else he wanted to hide, wouldn't he have hid it a bit better?
"Your sister," Gabriel said.
"Yes."
"No girl."
"No girl. Shit, I haven't even dated a woman in ages! I'm bi, Gabriel. Or rather more gay than bi, but that's not the issue. You're all I want."
Gabriel looked up and saw the naked truth in Matt's eyes. "You want me?"
"Yes! God, yes, I want you!" Matt reached out again and grabbed his shoulder. "Last night was... was..." he waved around with a hand, a gesture that comprised all they had done and said to each other. "Amazing! And I really wanted you and want to do it all again with you, Gabriel. Will you let me?"
God, how could he say no to that? Besides, the guy had drawn a picture of him. "I feel like such an ass," he muttered, embarrassed, wondering how he could make all this go away and be forgotten.
"No, you're not an ass," Matt assured him in a low voice and stroked a hand down his arm. "It was a misunderstanding, that's all. Happens to the best of us."
Gabriel did the mistake of looking up and was reduced to a gooey mass by one of those brilliant, fuck-me-now smiles that Matt had aimed at him all night last night. He nearly sobbed in relief and couldn't help that he threw his arms around Matt's neck and began to kiss him breathless.
Matt staggered a step under the sudden onslaught, but quickly got a grip of the situation – and Gabriel's ass with his large, strong hands – and kissed him back. If it hadn't been for the emotional roller coaster just moments before, Gabriel would have gotten hard just from the kissing and groping. As it was, it sent his heart beating like mad and his pulse going through the roof.
Matt broke the kiss a few moments later, leaning his forehead against Gabriel's and smiling. "We good? You'll stay for breakfast?"
"Yeah, we're good." I'll stay forever if you'll let me.
The omelet was really tasty, bits of ham, paprika and onions chopped in and cheese sprinkled on top, and the toast was still warm enough from the toaster to make the butter melt just a little bit in the middle. Gabriel eyed Matt hesitantly across the kitchen bar as they ate, still not feeling comfortable with how he had handled that and wondering if Matt was comfortable with him after Gabriel behaving like a drama queen.
"So, what are you doing later today?" Matt asked, looking up from his nearly empty plate.
Gabriel blinked. Well, that probably answered that question. He shrugged. "I guess I have to go home at some point, to change and let the guys know I'm alive." And call Piggy to tell her too, or she'd kill him dead when she saw him next.
Matt nodded. "Guys?"
"Yeah, my roommates. I share an apartment with two other guys, it's small but we manage since we're not there that much. Only catch is there is just one bathroom." He grimaced and Matt smiled.
"I like your place, though. Really nice." He looked around again, his eyes straying over the photos by the fish tank, the desk over in the corner. A happy little shiver ran down his spine at the thought that Matt had drawn his picture.
"Thanks. I like it. Took me a while to find an apartment I liked enough to buy, but, yeah."
"And a fish tank too," Gabriel grinned at him.
Matt chuckled and Gabriel tried to stifle another pleasurable shiver. "Well, Anne – my sister," he added with a meaningful look at Gabriel, "she thought I'd need some company when I first moved out here, so she got it for me."
"Hm. I like it. Kinda peaceful."
Matt was watching him. Gabriel ducked his head, feeling a blush rising, and grabbed his coffee for a deep swallow.
"I can give you a lift home, if you want to," Matt said. "Only, I was hoping you'd want to see me again later. Maybe go to the movies or something."
Gabriel stared. "Yes. Sure. I'd want to see you. Again, I mean."
Matt smiled at him tripping over his tongue. "Good."
Gabriel finished off his coffee in a big gulp, wanting to save himself some more embarrassment. "Well, unless there's anything you want to do before we go, I'll go grab my stuff and..."
Matt reached out and wrapped one large, warm hand around Gabriel's neck, drawing him into a deep, tonsil-tickling kiss. Gabriel gasped and before he knew it he was kissing him back. Dear god, but he really had no defenses when it came to this guy.
Matt let him go after a while, a small but smug smile on his face. Gabriel felt positively dizzy, he wondered absently if he'd ever be able to stand properly when in Matt's company, his jeans were a wee bit tight over the groin.
"I'll just stop by the bathroom and then we can go. Unless you want to stay all day," Matt said. "You can borrow clothes from me, if you want to."
Gabriel cleared his throat. "No, that's okay. I need to call in the hours to the boss anyway." He got up – or rather tried to; his knees were a bit wobbly.
Matt nodded. "Just leave the dishes in the sink; I'll take care of it when I get back." And then he went to the bathroom.
Gabriel took the precious moment to breathe. Get a grip, man! You have to walk all the way to the elevator and the car, and you can't do that with the little guy being all happy and eager.
As it turned out, he managed it after all, but it was a bit difficult and he seriously doubted his own resolve when Matt gave him one of those fuck-me-now smiles again, just as the elevator doors closed with a ping. Good thing it was only four floors or he would have tried something.
* * *
Matt fought very hard not to grin like a maniac. He needed to concentrate on driving and he couldn't do that if his face was splitting in two. Even with the little misunderstanding this morning and the sudden jolt of fear that had given him, he felt like flying now. Last night had been perfect, dancing and kissing and the sex – even though he'd wanted it to last forever – it had been mind-blowing.
Then he'd woken up early this morning with a warm body curled against his side and couldn't resist the urge to do a sketch of Gabriel. Beautiful, amazing, spirited Gabriel with the glittering eyes, perfect body and tight, firm ass. He had to swallow and shift a bit in his seat at the thought of said ass.
Gabriel sat in the passenger seat beside him, and Matt noticed he was giving him glances from time to time. Especially when he shifted gears. He palmed the stick a bit more than necessary, letting his fingers run up and down the knob and slide away slowly. Gabriel quickly looked away out the window and cleared his throat.
Matt smiled and focused back on the road. "So, when do you want me to pick you up?"
Gabriel shrugged. "I guess around seven? If we want to catch the early show and maybe eat something after?"
"Sounds good. Seven it is." He turned a corner, glancing at Gabriel, and their eyes met. The swirl of emotions in Gabriel's eyes reflected what Matt felt, and he decided to go for it. "You can spend the night again, if you want to."
Gabriel blinked. "You sure? I mean, I don't want to be a bother."
"I'm sure. I liked having you there." Sleeping with you, waking up with you. Having sex with you.
"Okay, I'll make sure to pack en extra shirt and a toothbrush then," Gabriel smiled.
Matt chuckled. "You do that."
Turning another corner he realized this was Gabriel's stop. He pulled over and put the car in neutral. Gabriel seemed reluctant to get out, tapping his fingers against the door but not opening it. Finally he took a deep breath and turned to Matt.
"I'm really sorry about my behavior this morning. I don't know what came over me; I'm usually not that much of a drama queen."
Matt shrugged; he could understand the shock of finding something you hadn't expected, and what it might implicate. "No big deal. I'm glad we worked it out, I'd have hated for this to end over a stupid misunderstanding before it had hardly even started."
Gabriel seemed to relax. "Yeah, me too." He hesitated again, just for a moment, and then leaned in and gave Matt a quick kiss on the lips. Then he was opening the door and stepping out before Matt could react.
He sighed, glad to have erased the last of that problem, and reached to put the car in gear when the passenger door was suddenly yanked open again and Gabriel dove in, quick like a dolphin.
This kiss was much deeper, much longer and much more satisfying in every way. It was also a surefire way to have him aching for the rest of the day. Gabriel didn't seem content until he had mapped out every little crevice of Matt's mouth. Only then did he pull back, their lips parting with a little puff of breath, and grinned at Matt.
"I'll be waiting here at seven," he murmured, nudging his nose against Matt's.
"I'll be here five to," Matt assured, still reeling a little from the kiss.
Gabriel smiled and winked, and then he got out again and closed the door. He gave Matt a little wave as he headed for the door of his building and Matt waved back. Then he realized he was grinning like a maniac and felt really silly.
He waited until Gabriel had disappeared through the door before he pulled back out into traffic and headed home. He hadn't thought it would go like this, not with how stressed out he'd been that first date and then with this morning. But it had worked out and he'd met the most perfect guy, found a spark in his life, and gotten fantastic sex. It had been two days of emotional roller coaster, but in the end he was really glad he'd gone for it.
* * *
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